Method of obtaining heavy-metal beryllium alloys



Patented Feb. 27, 1934 PATENT oFFlc METHOD OF OBTAINING HEAVY-METAL. BERYLLIUM ALLOYS Ernst Pokorny, Leipzig, Germany, assignor to Farbenindustrie Aktiengesellschaft,

Frankfort-on-the-Main, Germany No Drawing. Application May 24, 1932, Serial No. 613,270. In Germany May 28, 1931 6 Claims.

The present invention refers to a method of obtaining alloys of heavy metals, particularly of iron, copper, and nickel, with beryllium and is more especially concerned with a process in which beryllium compounds are reduced by the action of metals such as magnesium or magnesium alloys.

Hitherto the manufacture of heavy-metal beryllium alloys was usually carried out by introducing electrolytically obtained pure beryllium metal into a bath of molten heavy metal. The necessity of first having to produce pure beryllium, however, renders this process uneconomical. The same pertains in regard to another proposal which contemplates the electrolytic deposition, in combination, of the components of the alloy.

Another group of processes for the formation of heavy-metal beryllium alloys is based on the reduction of mixtures of beryllium compounds with reducible heavy metal compounds by the action of carbon, these processes yielding products containing carbon. The same disadvantage is associated with the suggested employment of carbides of the alkaline earth metals as reducing agents, and is further aggravated by the fact that the reduction, because of the diificult fusibility of the carbides, requires temperatures of. at least about 1800 C. All these processes are further.

characterized by low yields in beryllium.

It has further been suggested to produce carban-free beryllium metal by reducing beryllium compounds by means of aluminium, calcium or magnesium. In this manner a mixture of metal and oxides is invariably obtained, and the separation of the metal causes grave difficulties when working on an industrial scale. In order to obtain a satisfying yield of carbon-free heavy-metal beryllium alloys it is also possible to cause mix- .tures of magnesium or magnesium alloys with a heavy metal to react upon reducible beryllium compounds. However, the temperatures required for obtaining the metal in the form oi. a regulus are far above 2000 C.

An object of the present invention, therefore. is to provide a method of producing beryllium alloys of the heavy metals which will enable the application of moderate working temperatures. such as are common in metallurgical operations, and the formation of such alloys without contamination by carbon and with the highest possible yield.

. To this end, according to the present invention, a reducible compound of beryllium is introduced into a bath of molten heavy metal and therein brought into contact with a reducing agent such as magnesium or a magnesium alloy, the sensible heat of the heavy metal bath bringing about the reaction and ensuring the complete dissolution of the metallic beryllium formed in the heavy metal bath.

According to one modification of the invention, an intimate mixture of a finely divided reducible beryllium compound with magnesium or a magnesium alloy is introduced into the heavy metal bath, preferably in briquetted form. Advantageously an alloy of magnesium containing between about 40 and percent,-and preferably about 50 percent, of aluminium is employed since the alloys within the range "indicated are extremely capable of reaction and are also easily reduced into pulverulent condition.

.According to another modification of the invention alloys of beryllium with such heavy metals as are capable of forming alloys with magnesium (such as copper or nickel) are produced by preparing a molten alloy of magnesium and the heavy metal and stirring a reducible beryllium compound into the molten alloy. The

beryllium compound is reduced by the magnesium present in the bath and the beryllium metal thus formed passes over into the heavy metal, whereas the magnesium compound formed passes into the slag. When beryllium oxide is employed as starting material, it is advantageous to add a flux which lowers the melting point of the magnesium oxide, so as to achieve a clear separation of the metal from the slag.

The reducing metal is preferably applied in moderate excess, the latter largely being removed from the melt by evaporation at the temperatures of working. When making copper-beryllium alloys according to the present invention, the magnesium applied in excess which largely remains in the bath owing to the comparatively low melting point of copper may be eliminated by heating the beryllium alloy obtained in the process up to about 1300 0.

Examples 1) 150 parts by weight of beryllium oxide are intimately mixed with 160 parts by weight of filings or turnings of magnesium and made into briquettes of about 1 to 10 cubic inches size. The latter are immersed in a bath of 400 parts by weight of molten copper at between about 1100 to 1200 C. under a hydrogen atmosphere while stirring. An overheating of the bath should be avoided. On attaining the reaction temperature, the reaction which is exothermic rapidly pervades the whole mass and the beryllium metal tormed further vigorousstirring. The magnesium oxide produced by. the reaction floats on the surface of the melt and protects the beryllium metal from" oxidation. After the reaction is completed the temperature of the bath is raised to 1300 C., so as to eliminate the magnesium employed in excess, A copper-beryllium alloy containing about 7 percent of beryllium is obtained, the yield in metallic beryllium amounting to about 67 percent of the input.

(2) 100 parts by weight of an alloy consisting of percent of magnesium and '75 percent of copper are molten and parts by weight of beryllium oxide stirred thereinto. When the reaction is completed the temperature of the bath is raised to 1400 C. so as to evaporate the magnesium applied in excess. A beryllium copper alloy containing 5.7 percent of beryllium is obtained, the yield amountingto 52.8 percent.

(3) A mixture of 100 parts by weight or beryllium oxide and 100 parts by weight of an alloy containing about equal parts by weight of magnesium and aluminium, in form' of filings, is formed into briquettes of about 1 to 10 cubic inches size by applying a high pressure and the briquettes are introduced while stirring into 500 parts by weight of molten iron at about 1600 C An iron-beryllium alloy is obtained containing 6.5 percent of beryllium, the yield in beryllium amounting to percent of the input.

- (4) In the same manner, a beryllium-nickel alloy containing about 9.5 percent of beryllium with a yield in beryllium of 70 percent is obtained by introducing a mixture of 100 parts by weight of beryllium fluoride and 100 parts by weight 0:!

magnesium metal fllings into 200 parts by weight of molten nickel at a temperature of about 1550 C.

Iclaim:- l. A method of obtaining an alloy of heavy metals of the group consisting of copper, iron,

- and nickel with beryllium, which comprises bringing a reducible compound of beryllium into conalloys with the copper, this being promoted by tact with magnesium within heavy metal. 5

2. A method or obtaining an alloy of heavy metals of the group consisting of copper, iron, and nickel withberyllium, which comprises bringing a compound of beryllium from the group a bath of molten consisting of beryllium oxide and beryllium fluor- I ide into contact with magnesium within a bath oi molten heavy metal.

3. A method of obtaining an alloy of heavy metals of thegroup consisting of copper, iron, and nickel with beryllium, which comprises distributing an intimate mixture of finely divided magnesium and a compound of beryllium from the group consisting of beryllium oxide and beryllium fluoride in a bath of molten heavy metal.

4. A method of obtaining an alloy of heavy metals of the group consisting of copper, iron, and nickel with beryllium, which comprises distributing a briquetted mixture of flnely divided magnesium and a compound or beryllium from the group consisting of beryllium oxide and beryllium fluoridein a bath of molten heavy metal.

5. A method of obtaining an alloy of heavy metals of the group consisting of copper and nickel with beryllium, which comprises introducing a compound of beryllium from'the group consisting of beryllium oxide and beryllium fluoride into a ba h of molten heavy metal containing, in the form of .an alloy, sufficient magnesium to effect reduction of said beryllium compound. 6. A method of obtaining a copper-beryllium alloy, which comprises brin i a compound of beryllium from the group consisting of beryllium oxide and beryllium fluoride into contact with a quantity of magnesium somewhat in excess over that required for reducing said beryllium compound within a bath of molten heavy metal and,

when the reaction is completed, raising the temperature of the metal bath so as to evaporate .the magnesium in excess. 

